Yume
by Nekomon
Summary: The group finds a mysterious female kitsune and Shippou takes to her like...well..co-written by Nana!


A/N: Written by Nana (authoress of Dokyusei) and me! I think you'll like it! Not really much else to say..but..hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: If we owned it..I don't think we'd be writing fics when we could just put it into manga form!

Dream

by

Nekomon and Nana

Chapter 1

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      It all began with the wind.

      The breeze that sifted through the trees carried with it a distinct chill at odds with the warm summer day, making the leaves rustle ominously in the quiet forest.

      The animals felt it.  Startled, they froze in their tracks, sniffing the air uneasily, their ears twitching to catch the faintest trace of sound.

      A small scream rent the air, sending the animals scattering in all directions.  The sound of a small explosion soon followed.

      A bundle of fur shot out from the surrounding foliage, lost its balance, rolling for a distance before stopping, winded. It picked itself up hurriedly and tore through the forest on all fours.

      It had no time to lose.

      Behind it, and closing the distance fast, was an ugly, towering beast.  It was moving at a frightening pace, totally unhampered by the obstructing trees. Its over-large eyes looked insane, the large teeth showing through the gaping mouth were yellow, rotten, jutting out in ragged disarray.  Acid drool dribbled down its chin, and the flecks that spattered onto the ground burned the soft grass below its feet.

      It swiped at the kitsune with a large, taloned claw, narrowly missing the tiny creature by inches.

      "Haaah!!!" The kitsune thought wildly as it dodged the hand. "What am I going to do? What am I going to doooo???"

      It continued to run as fast as it could, panic overriding its sense of direction. Tearing through a bush, it found its way suddenly blocked by a massive thicket of unearthly thorns.

      The black thorns were large, the razor sharp points glistening with poison--a dangerous youkai plant in the midst of the wild forest.  The sight of it was enough to make the kitsune grind to a sudden, despairing halt.

      But I can't stop now…!

      A roar issued from behind it, making it shudder. There was no choice.

      If I can just jump over this bush safely…there's a good chance I can…and if that stupid youkai were dumb enough to follow me and get caught, then…!

      Without thinking twice, the kitsune backed away a few paces before launching itself at the thorns, making a huge leap at the last minute.

      Yes!!! It thought as it soared over the thorns.  I'm going to make it! I'm going to--!!!

      SNAAAAAG…!

      As though it had a life of its own, a thick coil of the monstrous plant wrapped itself onto the kitsune's leg, sending it sprawling on the ground with a dull thud.

      Oh, no…!

      "Chikusou…!" The kitsune cursed.  The plant was wrapped loosely around its leg, the thorns not yet scratching it.  Whimpering, it tried to crawl out of the coiled menace carefully.

      It screamed when the giant youkai lunged into view from the thicket of thorns.

      Putting its free hands together, amassing whatever energy was left, the kitsune drew forth its last defense.

      "KITSUNE-BI!"

      A blue ball of energy formed from between its hands and shot out, effectively hitting the youkai in the chest. It roared furiously.

      "Yasa!" The kitsune cried as the smoke cleared. A smoking, gaping hole could be seen through the youkai's chest, green blood oozing out of it.

      "ITAI!" The kitsune cried suddenly as it tried to extract itself from the plant, only to have its coil tighten reflexively on the fox's leg.  It could feel the thorns sink in.

      The pain…the pain was unbelievably excruciating!!

      Panting, it wrenched its leg out, knowing it would do no more good to be careful.

      Kami…sama…how could it be so painful?

      A harsh roar issued from behind it, and through its darkening line of vision, the kitsune turned to see the youkai gradually healing by itself, becoming fully rejuvenated right in front of its eyes.

      But how could it…possibly…? The kitsune thought dazedly as it tried to crawl away.  But it was suddenly an effort to move at all.

      The poison…moving fast…

      The kitsune collapsed even as the youkai stretched out a claw to ensnare it. Through rapidly numbing senses, it could feel the youkai about to crush it between its hands.

      "This is it," the kitsune mumbled. "This is the end, then…"

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      "Shippou-chan!" Kagome cried as they continued to search for Shippou. "Shippou-channnn…!"

      "Where could he possibly have gone off to?" Sango asked as she scanned the other end of the clearing. 

      "I've never seen him take off like that into the woods before," said Miroku as he came from his own end of the forest. "Have you ever seen him that agitated before?"

      "You mean agitated enough to leave the groups' safety? No!" snorted Inuyasha.

      At that, the others glanced at each other uneasily.

      "SHIPPOU!!!" Inuyasha bellowed as his own words sank in.

      Kagome blinked at him. Did she just hear a definite note of panic in his voice just now?

      'IF YOU DON'T BRING YOUR SORRY ASS BACK HERE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LEAVING!" Inuyasha continued.

      Kagome could feel her brows twitching as she closed her eyes.

      Yep.  She had surely just imagined him being worried over Shippou-chan.

      "Inuyasha…osuwari," she sighed.

      PHAAA~~~AAAG!

      "Hey!  What was that for?!" Inuyasha said indignantly as he lay prone on the ground. "You're spoiling him, Kagome! Now look at him--streaking off into the forest like that without a word--"

      The others were too used to this scene by now to get affected.

      "I'll take this way; Sango, you take that road," Miroku said as smoothly as though nothing had just happened. "Kagome-sama, you take this way."

      "Hey, Hey, HEY!!!!" cried Inuyasha as he dusted himself off. "What about me?!"

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      The youkai drew in a harsh sound of mirth as it lifted the unconscious kitsune from the ground.  Balling the small creature into the center of its palm, it was closing its fingers over the bundle of fur when somebody shouted "KITSUNE BI!" and another ball of energy shot out from nowhere, effectively slicing through its head.

      Like the dust from where it came from, the youkai's body dissolved instantly into a pile of ash.

      "Yosh!"

      The fallen kitsune lay unconscious on the ground, blood slowly pooling over the wounds from its leg.

      Shippou rushed over to it, stopping uncertainly over its still form.

      It was a kitsune like himself…only a girl!

      "Am I too late?" Shippou asked himself as he knelt down beside the unconscious figure, passing his tiny hands over her face.

      Perhaps he had hesitated too long.  He had heard her scream from far away, only he had hesitated too long…

      But he could feel her exhaling into the palm of his hand.  She was still breathing…

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      "Well?" said Kagome after a while. "Can you sniff him out?"

      Inuyasha bristled. "What do you think I am?!" He shouted, feeling his pride shoot a few points down the scale. "I'm not some search dog you can just whistle up to sniff things out for you!"

      "You're missing the point, you baka!" Kagome snapped, beginning to get irritated.  "This isn't some search dog or no search dog issue! We have to find Shippou-chan as soon as possible!  He may get hurt on his own!"

      "Feh!" Inu Yasha retorted as he resumed walking. 

Kagome was so stupid at times!  What did she think he had been doing all along? If there had been a whiff of Shippou in the air, he would have caught it a long time ago--

      Wait…

      Inuyasha suddenly halted in his tracks as his sharp nose finally detected…something…

      A distinctly unpleasant, metallic smell.  Faint, very faint, but it was there…

      "Kagome…" he said softly.

      "What is it?"

      Without another word, he hoisted her over his back and took off toward the smell.

      "Wait for us!" Miroku said as he and Sango leaped onto Kirara's back and followed in close pursuit.

      "What is it?" Kagome asked, beginning to worry over Inuyasha's grim silence.

      He wasn't sure yet.  As he followed the intangible track of smells, he could slowly make out Shippou's scent. There was blood…and the scent of another…

      "Inuyasha?" Kagome asked again.

      "Kagome…Shippou…" Inuyasha said uneasily, not knowing what to say. There was a chance the blood was from Shippou.  But how could he tell Kagome that? She was going to cry.  He knew damn well she was going to cry, and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to bear it.

      "What about Shippou-chan?" she asked hurriedly.

      "Shippou…is--"

      "SHIPPOU-CHAN!" Kagome cried as the kitsune suddenly came into view in front of them.  She jumped off Inuyasha and ran to him.

      "You had us so worried!" Kagome said as Shippou leaped up into her arms. Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango finally caught up with them.

      "Kagome!" cried Shippou, relieved. 

      "Don't you ever do that again, you brat!!!!" Inuyasha acted on the first thought to enter his mind. It had been a relief to find him unharmed.  Scared, yes, but unharmed.

      "I can't just leave her!" cried Shippou. "I--I found her here--"

      "What're you doing playing the hero all by yourself?!" said Inuyasha. "You could've just told us, and--"

      "Osuwari!" Kagome said imperiously.

      Shippou snorted as Inuyasha hit the ground flat.

      "Is she okay, Shippou-chan?" Kagome knelt beside the unconscious kitsune.

      "She's breathing," observed Miroku as he knelt beside the figure and placed his hand on her chest, noting the erratic rise and fall of her breath. "But only so. And bleeding."

      He pointed at the ugly wounds on her leg, now slowly turning into a nasty shade of purple.

      "Poisoned," said Sango.  She jerked her head to the direction of the thorns.  "A youkai plant known as the Poison Claw.  Sedentary, but still able to do a great deal of damage. I haven't seen one of these for a long time…"

      "Do you know how to destroy it?" Miroku asked as he straightened up. 

      "We'll have to burn it.  Cutting it away is useless.  The roots run too deep into the ground.  Stand back," Sango said, taking a few fire pellets from her shoulder armor.

      "Shippou-chan," said Kagome softly. "How did you know she was here?"

      Shippou shook his head, confused, feeling something hot creep up his face.  "I thought I heard her scream…"

      Kagome's eyes widened at the sudden flush suffusing Shippou's cheek, but before she could say anything, Inuyasha cut in.

      "Well, I didn't hear anything!" scoffed Inuyasha as he sat up.

      "That's because you were too busy arguing with Kagome!" cried Shippou impatiently.

      "Why you little--!"

      "Look!" Kagome cried.

      The tiny kitsune was stirring at last. Her eyes fluttered open, dazedly looking straight up into Shippou's emerald eyes. Everyone turned to look at her.

      She had the prettiest eyes Shippou had ever seen.  A pair of brilliant, rich violet orbs, slightly tilted in a slant on the corners.

      She tensed at the sight of unfamiliar faces.

      "It's alright," murmured Kagome soothingly.  "You're safe now."

      The kitsune turned back to Shippou.

      "You---it was you, who--?"

      Shippou could only nod helplessly.

      "Arigatou," she said faintly before sliding back into unconsciousness.

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      So what did you think? Who is this girlie girl and whats she doin out in the forest messin around with aminals she cant even fight? Guess you'll have to wait and find out right?? Riiight!


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